It's a rubbish day for my pony collection :(

[mercynova]

I decided to spend today going through my collection, sorting and cataloguing. While doing so, I made two horrible discoveries. Just two of my collection of around 1000 had gained cancer spots since I last looked at them... my Ice Crystal and my Mimic, both of whom were pretty minty last time I looked. I am so so upset, I can't believe that it would be those two out of every single pony! I don't understand it either... they were both in separate boxes, stored in the exact same way as all my other ponies in little paper bags and they were the only victims...?

Well I've been completely put off looking at my ponies for now. I bought those two at a time when I had some spare income, there's no way I'm going to be able to afford replacements for a good while now and I would be scared to do so in case the same thing happened again.

Sometimes pony collecting can be a very cruel sport...

[teresat]

 

I'm so sorry to hear that! I would be very upset too!

I love my Ice Crystal. Right now he has just one of the tiniest of flaws. Mimic is on her way here. They would definitely be hard to replace.

Is it bad? lots of research and debate on the causes and stopping the spread. I hope they don't get worse.



Edit for grammar

[mercynova]

I'm so sorry to hear that! I would be very upset too!

I love my Ice Crystal. Right now he has just one of the tiniest of flaws. Mimic is on her way here. They would definitely be hard to replace.

Is it bad? Were they together lots of research and debate on the causes and stopping the spread. I hope they don't get worse.



Edit for grammar

Thank you for your kind words!

Mimic just has one spot on her back leg... Ice Crystal on the other hand looks dreadful. There are marks all over his back and side, though I suppose I should be thankful that it's only down the NDS side...

If anyone has any tips for stopping it spreading any more, and even maybe for making it look a little better, then I would be extremely grateful to hear them. I do know about boiling ponies but I'm a bit worried to do that...

[teresat]

I just read they were not together. I haven't gotten the nerve to boil ponies. Too much like cooking them. I wonder if that really helps.

Another is bleach. Again, those two are not who I would perform these kind of experiments on.

Good luck!

[Brightglowpony]

Oh no, how terrible   I can imagine you’d be very upset.  This is not the same, but I stored my childhood Brightglow in a purse in my room.  Most of my other ponies were stored in bins at the time, but I kept Brightglow out because she was one of my first and of course was special.  After a couple of months, I took her out only to discover that the black lining of the purse had seeped into the pony and left large black marks   It’s sad when something happens to your most special ponies. I hope someone can give you some advice to help it from spreading. hugs to you

[Sternenstaub]

I'm so sorry for you!
**Hugs**

Maybe you can separate them from the other collection?

[Wadatsumi]

oh shoot you poor thing. it's one of the things i fear most for my collection
please feel hugged 

[BeverlysLittlePony2012]

Aw, I am so sorry! You are right, pony collecting can be cruel. I have lost a pony or two to my little Chihuahua. Nothing as rare as your two precious ponies though! I really hope you find a way to keep it from spreading. Poor ponies!

 


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[TimeDance]

Oh dear, sounds like you have my luck. I'm sorry to hear about your poor ponies.

It seems to be the general opinion of most pony collectors that cancer comes from moisture. I suggest looking at how you are storing them and see if moisture might be a problem. I live in a really dry climate so it's not so much an issue here so I don't quite have the same skills of keeping ponies dry as those in say Florida.

So that's all I can suggest right now. Check the dryness level and see what you can do to better package your ponies.  Good luck.

[hathorcat]

First.... sweetie - there is nothing worse than discovering such issues and on 2 such ponies...I am so sorry -  sending you hugs.

First cancer is not "infectious" - its not going to spread across your herd. It is simply a break down in the plastic probably due to plasticisers and bromides. Its horrible but its pretty incurable. The colour is a result of the chemicals "breaking out and staining/damaging" the surrounding plastic. Its a yucky comparison but think of a nice apple, then the cells inside break down and the apple rots. 

However, I have seen some have success with reversal of the staining - it wont stop the breakdown completely and as the plastic breakdown has started in some of the plastic it will come back probably in other parts of the plastic. You "prick" a small hole in the plastic in the middle of the stain - drop acetone into the tiny hole...the acetone reacts with the bromide and changes the colour. Now the science bit and remember this is on a tiny tiny level - bromine has a brown colour [hence the staining] it reacts with the acetone and the Br-Br bond is broken thereby removing the brown colour and rendering the remaining product clear.

[StarDragon]

However, I have seen some have success with reversal of the staining - it wont stop the breakdown completely and as the plastic breakdown has started in some of the plastic it will come back probably in other parts of the plastic. You "prick" a small hole in the plastic in the middle of the stain - drop acetone into the tiny hole...the acetone reacts with the bromide and changes the colour. Now the science bit and remember this is on a tiny tiny level - bromine has a brown colour [hence the staining] it reacts with the acetone and the Br-Br bond is broken thereby removing the brown colour and rendering the remaining product clear.

Wow hathorcat, I had no idea that cancer could even be reduced like that. Good to know!!

It's why I am scared about rare ponies because I know I would just faint dead if anything happened, even a small little spot! I'm sorry your ponies are sick.   That's horrible... sending my hugs too!

[Shenanigans]

I'm so sorry to hear that! And on two such beautiful expensive ponies

[Gingerbread]

So sorry to hear that

Hathorcat - thankyou for posting the info! I am so going to give that a go on a pony tomorrow

[Moondancer115]

Awh I am so sorry to hear that . Lots of hugs for you
I have one pony and boiled her. It went al ok and she wasn't damaged in anyway. But I stayed with her the whole time and checking her al the time haha. Not my favorite thing to do cooking ponies

[Sugar]

Awww, pony hugs, mercynova! I hope they don't get any worse, and I also hope some of the treatments will help.  It's rubbish news, all right, and I also hope the rest of your collection is okay.  I'll keep my hooves crossed for you.